Door reenforcement



l atented July 5, 1932 noon nnnnroncnnrnlvr Applicationfilcd February 24, 1931., Serial No. 517,741. g i

This invention relates to doors, and more particularly to a novel and improved reenforcement therefor and to a method of brac ing and reinforcing such.

In this day of the automobile the major ity of residences and dwellings have garage facilities in connection therewith. The usual garage is constructed with a woode ndoor or doors, and these because of their necessary size, are prone to sag and lose their original shape with use and passage of time. Cheap construction is probably the main factor in this deterioration, but since such construction is general throughout the country it becomes apparent that any means whereby the advantages of a heavier andmore substantial structure may be realized without the additional cost of such, presents unquestionable utility. One frequent cause of deter1oration results from the wooden members or the door becoming unglped or shrunken.

serviceable reenforcement for doors for 'ga-.

rages and buildings of all types, which reenforced door may be constructed at a saving of cost and/or material yet still render a satisfaction and service superior to the unreenforced type of door. Although my invention is conceived particularly with garage doors in view, it maybe used in connection with any other wooden. door where reenforcement is needed or deemed desirable.

These and other objects made apparent throughout the further description of this invention are attained by'means of a reen forcing device, the peculiar construction and application of which is an important feature of my invention. In order that my invention garagedoor or the like.

may be fully understood, I will proceedto describe it with reference to the accompanyv I ing 7 drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a'front elevation of an ordinary Fig. Qis a rear elevation'of the same door with my reenforcing device applied thereto. Fi'g.' 3 is a fragmentary view of the device takenalong the line III'III of Fig. 2.

Like numbers 7 indicate corresponding parts in all figures. In the drawing, Figure 1 shows an ordinary wooden door adaptedfor use on garages or similar .s'tructuresTand constructed with side stiles 1, top: and bottom rails 2, intermediate flooring strips 3 forming the lower panel, and a plurality of. windows 4. This construction is usual in a door of this type and forms no part of the present invention. I do not, however, intend. to limit myself to an specialtypeof door structure herein, my

invention residing rather in'the reenforcing means forbracing and strengtheningwooden doors of any suitable construction as willbe hereinafter set forth more fully.

Fig. 2 shows my inventionapplied to such a wooden door. The reenforcingdevice consists of two strips of strap iron or other suitable. materialassembled in' X-formation and ingpiece 5, said piece 6 being otherwise sima 1 121.1 to 5; Thls provldes aflush arrangement occupying minimum spacefand not itself damaging the'door, "A bolt 8., nut 9, and washer 10., are used to join the strips-together.

'7 Holes 11 are rdrilled or piercedat the ends of llth'eipieces' as indicated, for; inserting bolts or screws or the like.

ing in 'detail'the offset 7 andthemanner in which screw or bolt 8 may be countersunk in Fig. 3' is a sectional viewof the device show- I I deem to be its preferable form of two strips in X-forlnation, more thantwo strips may be used m'its COl'lStHlCt101l,SI1Ch addltion-securing additional rigidity to the completed structure. i Y i When being applied to a new door, my dedevice is opened to the proper extent and then rigidly secured to stiles 1, through strips or slats 3, at points 11. 7 It is noted that the connection is to the stiles, as otherwise the desired firmness of frame is not secured and the door may sag as it without reenforcement. My invention has the effect of drawing together and clamping the parts of the door proper V position. When the device is in place, nut

9 may be tightened, which further adds to the stability of the reenforced door. I 7

When applied to an old door that has already beccine warped or distorted and lost its shape, the method is substantially the 7 same as previously indicated. In such a case,

moyed and thedoor now swings freely, firmly'reenforced and held in alignment by my superior device for'accomplishing this purpser v r r With theclampmg bolt 8 slightly loosened it isa simple matter to pivotally swing the bars away from each other or toward'each metal X-reenforcementhaving its four ends secured to said stiles and rails, said X-r-eenforcement being composed of two intersecting strips of strap iron, one of which is offset to'receive the other at the point of intersection, the inner faces of the slats being flush or even with each other so as to lie flat against the panel, a pivot bolt extending through registering holes in the intersecting parts of the straps, the head of the bolt being countersunk in-the face ofthe inner strip, and

a clamping nutthreaded onto the outer, projectinglendrof the bolt. 7 V

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my'namethis 2lst day of F ebrua r; r 31;

' ANT N =1 B I C other properly adjust the 'X-frame to the panel while the same is being fastenedtheretoKatthelendsof the straps 5 and 6 and then when the X- frame is completely fastened to the panelthenuton the bolt is tightenedup to give rigidity to the X-frame. It is important that the inner faces of both straps shall be flush or even .with each other and that the head of the bolt shallhave itshead counter- 7 I Sunk in theinnerface of the underlyiing strap so that the straps shall lie their full length in contact with the panel. It is also important that the threaded end of the bolt shall I extend outwardly through registering holes in the straps sothat the two overlying straps may be solidly clamped together 'attheir pointsof intersection after the frame is affiat-ed to the door, thereby insuring the greatest possible" degree of rigidity after the frame is aflixedto the door and also rendering a it unnecessary tobolt the X-frame to the door v V at the center. 1

,It .will be seen 7 further that my tion lends itself nicely to marketlng the decvi-ceas a separate hardware article inthat the pivot bolt permits the two straps to be swung construc intaparallelism, one on the other, and

clamped in that relationshipfor packing and Shipping.

byg LettersgBatent is i A oo her nsepensli s stile n t p What I claim as new and desire to secure V.

and ottom rail isad mea te raaiet n i li isamei we e, said. neae semrrisi se 

